Texas

In Texas for the night! We will make it to Colorado by tomorrow affternoon! I am excited to see my brother and sister, because i haven't seen them in over a month! Tonight we ate at The Big Texan. This is my first time in Texas and it doesn't get dark here until 9:30. I look forward to rafting later this week and being in the gorgeous mountains with nice Colorado air! Will keep you updated.

God is so good!!

Right now, on my way to Colorado... we stopped in Arkansas for the night.
My week at the edge was incredible! Six people from my church came to know Christ and 115 people at camp total became christisans. God is so amazing andworks in ways so great we could never think of. I am so blessed to have gome to camp and grow more in my relationship with my Father.
God taught me something so important from something so small as an ant. I was praying during commitment night which is the night that people gave their lives to Christ and i looked down and saw an ant on my toe. I watched the ant and thought that i could learn something from it: This ant does what God created it to do every day...collect food, whatever it is that ants do as instinct. I thought how I want to be like that ant and do what God has called me to do as instinct and habit. I learned so much on the trip and got close to some friends. God is truely amazing and His love is so strong. I lay my life at the foot of the cross and offer to Him all I can give beacuse He died the death I deserve. Thank you, Jesus

I miss them...

Okay, So another exciting thing coming up is that I am going to Colorado for a week and a half! YES! The day that I leave from the Edge, my parents are picking me up at camp and we are driving, yes DRIVING 25 long hours to Colorado! But it will be worth it! Not only do I get to see my brother and sister, who are working out there for the summer and I haven't seen in forever, but I also will get to go hiking, white water rafting, celebrate my birthday, and have a lot of neat opportunities to take some pictures that I will also have to share with you. :) I am pumped!

So, since I will be away from my computer for a long time I will try to update my blog and keep you posted on my travels from my phone. I can't type as much, but it is better than nothing! Can't wait to show you pictures!
Have a great summer!!~ Maddy

EDGE

This week I am headed to covenant College in Tennessee with my church for a youth camp until Friday, June 25th. I am looking forward to all the awesome/crazy things that we will get to do. One day we go to white water!! I am excited to see lots of my friends and get to know them better. Most of all I can't wait to see the amazing ways God works in the lives of all of us going. It will be an incredible week to remember! I will take lots of pictures to share.
Until then, Maddy

My friend, Mary Helen introduced me to blogging through my phone. This post was sent to my blog and posted on my home page. Pretty cool! :)

EM&M

We made a great cake!

Me and Emily Swimming

Love you :)

Emily is one of my great friends from school and we are both going to be home schooled next year. Whenever we get together we always have a blast. Emily has been such an awesome friend to me. Together we can see the many ways that God works in our lives.
Last night I went over to her house to hang out.

Emily and I had a great time making pizza from scratch (all except the dough), and may I say that it was delicious! We also baked a cake with strawberries that turned out fantastic! It was fun swimming in the dark at night, watching the sunset. We always have such a great time together making memories and having fun. She is such a blessing to me :)

Announcement

A peek into a new chapter in my life:

Over the past 4 years my family and I have prayed about an opportunity for me to be Home schooled. I always thought it would be fun. This year the Lord gave our family a peace about this step in life. I am very excited to be home schooled my 9th grade year for several reasons.

• I know it is God's will and plan for my life right now. I know this is where He wants to take me on my life journey. I look forward to building my relationship with Him and fully depending on God to take control of my life and lead me.
• There are so many things i look forward to learning. Starting with science. I know there are several neat things to do and places to go to learn about God's creation. Also English: I am thrilled to choose different books to read and improve in my writing skills.
• I feel that with more time at home, I will have a lot more free time to work on the things I love. Photography for instance. With being at school all day and coming home to do homework I don't have much time to take tons of pictures. I also love to cook, paint and draw. This new opportunity will clear up some time for me to work on all those things and enjoy a few more pleasures in life.

I know this is all part of God's plan for me. I know that He will teach me so much over the next year, and I can't wait to see what He had in store for my life!

Siesta Key - Sarasota, FL

One of the best feelings :) sand between your toes!

Palm trees are the best!

Look what God painted.

This was right next to one of the restaurants we ate at.

We can't leave out the seagulls!

Last week I went to Siesta Key Beach in Sarasota, FL. My grandma owns a condo off the coast of the Gulf. Last Monday my mom and I as well as some friends took a 6 hour road trip to the beach! There is nothing like surfing waves and building a sand castle with close friends on a hot Summer day! We had a blast. It was a great opportunity for me to practice taking pictures. The sunset was breath-taking. It was definitely a week to remember!

Coming up!

• Pictures from my week at the beach coming up later this weekend!
  

Lil' Miss Dangerous

Whenever I visit Iowa another fun thing I get to do is spend time with another one of my cousins. Emily (16), races stalk cars. She fits right in with the other men and stays way up on the top! I like to help her change the oil in her car and wash it. We always have a great time at the races!

Baby Violet

One of my relatives took this picture of me and Violet

Violet and her Daddy, Ben

As promised, here are some pictures of my first week of summer. This is my baby cousin, Violet. She loves to laugh, observe, giggle, cuddle and do just about what every other baby loves to do:) Violet and I were the only great-grand kids in town that weekend. I think we may be third cousins...I'm not quite sure how that all works. We both had a great visit to Iowa.

**I didn't have time to edit

Summer Begins!

Summer is here at last! It has been a while since I have blogged and i apologies.There are several pictures from various events that i need to post. I will get on that! Hold me to my word!
Here are some things that have gone on the past week and will go on soon.

• My great Grandma's funeral in Iowa. Even though it was sad, it was good to see family I haven't seen in quite sometime and meet my new baby cousin:)
• Read, read, read- Christy Miller
• Swim with friends! Also I have been helping my mom teach swim lessons during the late afternoons.
• This weekend much of the same things will be going on. In spare summer time I paint, read, take pictures, ride my bike...I just love summer! :)
• Oh, also I am watching a pet hamster for the summer.
  
• Starting on Monday we head to the beach until Saturday. I will post pictures of Iowa before I leave and then when I come home I will post pictures of my time at the beach

I hope you have a marvelous summer yourselves making memories and hanging out with friends and family :) Love, Maddy